Nidavellir Board Game Instruction Manual

1. Introduction to Nidavellir

Welcome to Nidavellir, the Dwarf Kingdom, a realm currently under threat from the formidable dragon Fafnir. As a venerable Elvaland, your crucial task, appointed by the King, is to assemble the strongest possible battalion. This involves journeying through the kingdom's taverns, recruiting the most skilled dwarves, and enlisting prestigious heroes to ultimately defeat this mortal enemy.

Nidavellir is a strategic auction and bidding game where players compete to build the most powerful army. Success hinges on careful planning, clever bidding, and understanding the unique scoring methods of each dwarf class.

Figure 1.1: The Nidavellir game box, depicting the dwarven kingdom and the dragon Fafnir.

2. Game Components

Before beginning play, ensure all components listed below are present in your game box:

• 87 Dwarf cards
• 21 Hero cards
• 5 Distinction cards
• 5 Royal Offering cards
• 3 Tavern Signs
• 5 Kingdom Map boards
• 60 gold coins
• 3 Trade markers
• 6 Gems
• 60 Coins (additional, likely referring to starting coins)
• 4 card holders
• 1 Royal Treasure (3D stand)
• 1 scorepad
• 1 rulebook (this manual)

Figure 2.1: A selection of game components, including dwarf cards, gold coins, and player boards.

3. Game Setup

Follow these steps to set up a game of Nidavellir:

1. Each player receives a Kingdom Map board and a set of 5 starting coins (values 0, 2, 3, 4, 5).
2. Place the 3 Tavern Signs in the center of the playing area.
3. Shuffle the Dwarf cards and deal 3 face-up cards next to each Tavern Sign.
4. Shuffle the Hero cards and place them in a designated area.
5. Place the Royal Treasure stand and the remaining gold coins nearby.
6. Assign a unique token to each player to resolve ties in bidding.

Figure 3.1: The three distinct Tavern Signs where players will place their bids.

4. Gameplay Overview

Nidavellir is played over several rounds, with each round consisting of a bidding phase and a recruitment phase.

4.1 Bidding Phase

In each turn, players simultaneously select 3 of their coins and place them face-down, one next to each of the three Tavern Signs. The two unused coins are placed face-down in the player's pouch.

Once all players have placed their bids, the coins are revealed. Players then resolve the bidding for each tavern in descending order of the coin values placed. The player with the highest coin value at a tavern gets to choose a dwarf card first from that tavern.

In case of a tie in coin values, the player with the highest value on their unique tie-breaker token wins the bid. After resolving the bid, the tie-breaker token is swapped between the tied players to ensure balanced turn order in subsequent rounds.

If a player uses their 0-value coin, they must discard the highest-value coin from their pouch and replace it with a new coin equal to the sum of the two lowest-value coins in their pouch. This mechanism allows for coin upgrades throughout the game.

4.2 Recruitment Phase

After winning a bid at a tavern, the player recruits one of the available Dwarf cards and adds it to their army on their Kingdom Map board. Dwarves are categorized into five classes: Blacksmith, Hunter, Warrior, Explorer, and Miner. Each class has a unique scoring method.

When recruiting a dwarf, place it in the corresponding column on your Kingdom Map board. If you already have dwarves of that class, stack the new card so that its rank and value are visible.

Figure 4.1: A detailed view of a Dwarf card, highlighting its class and numerical values.

If a player successfully collects one dwarf of each of the five classes, they immediately gain a bonus. This bonus allows them to recruit an additional Hero card or a Neutral Hero card, which provide powerful unique effects or additional scoring opportunities.

5. Scoring

At the end of the game, victory points (VP) are calculated based on the dwarves and heroes recruited into each player's army. Each dwarf class scores differently:

• Blacksmiths (Purple): Score points based on the number of unique ranks collected in a sequence (e.g., 3, 7, 12, 18, 25, 33...). The more consecutive ranks, the higher the score.
• Hunters (Green): Score points based on the square of the number of Hunters collected. For example, 2 Hunters score 4 VP (2x2), 3 Hunters score 9 VP (3x3).
• Warriors (Red): The player with the most Warrior ranks sums the bravery points on their Warrior cards and adds the value of their highest coin. Other players with Warriors only sum their bravery points.
• Explorers (Blue): Sum the bravery points on all Explorer cards.
• Miners (Orange): Sum the values of all Miner cards and multiply by the number of Miners collected.
• Heroes: Each Hero card has a specific scoring condition detailed on the card.

The player with the highest total victory points wins the game.

6. Maintenance and Care

To ensure the longevity of your Nidavellir board game, follow these care guidelines:

• Store all components in their designated slots within the game box to prevent damage and loss.
• Keep the game away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures to prevent warping or fading of components.
• Handle cards and tokens with clean, dry hands to avoid smudges and wear.
• If components become dusty, gently wipe them with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or liquids.

7. Troubleshooting & FAQs

This section addresses common questions and clarifications regarding Nidavellir gameplay.

7.1 Tie-Breaking Rules

As detailed in the Bidding Phase, ties in coin values for a tavern are broken by the unique tie-breaker token. The player with the higher number on their token wins. After the bid is resolved, the tied players swap their tie-breaker tokens. This ensures that the advantage of the token is distributed and prevents one player from consistently winning ties.

7.2 Coin Upgrading with 0-Value Coin

When you use your 0-value coin in a bid, you must discard the highest-value coin from your pouch. Then, you create a new coin by summing the values of the two lowest-value coins remaining in your pouch. This new coin replaces the discarded one, effectively upgrading your coin set over time.

7.3 Hero Recruitment Bonus

The bonus for collecting one dwarf of each of the five classes is immediate. You choose one Hero card from the available display or a Neutral Hero card. This is a one-time bonus per completion of the set. Subsequent completions of the five-class set will grant additional Hero recruitment bonuses.

8. Product Specifications

9. Safety Information

WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small Parts. Not for children under 3 years.